Tuesday, June 02, 2015

Live: Slam Dunk Festival (North) 2015

Slam Dunk is something I look forward to every year. The location, the bands, and the organisation are always solid and the festival has gone from strength to strength each time. This year, so had the site. A huge lineup meant moving out of the Leeds University campus and down to Millennium Square and the Beckett University SU to accommodate everyone. In theory the new layout is great, but those unwilling to ditch an expensive drink would do so at the expense of potentially missing the bands they came to see. However, that’s my only gripe. It’s a dramatic change from the previous eight years, but I loved it just the same.

The first band I saw, over on the Desperados stage, was PatentPending who played a set that included pop-punk covers of the Friends theme song and Cascada’s ‘Every Time We Touch’. They have a decent crowd and although it’s still early in the day, everyone watching seems in to it and is having a good time.

It’s not until Trash Talk begin their set on the Impericon stage that the festival truly kicks off for me though. Limbs flying, monitor scaling; Trash Talk. I don’t think there is even a full 15 second stretch of time that, lead singer, Lee Speilman is on stage. He’s always in the crowd or on the barrier while the band thrashes away behind him. In this fashion they blast through a thirty-minute set that seems to last not even half as long. They play what could be considered a greatest hits set, and ‘Sacramento is Fucking Dead’, ‘Awake’ and ‘Lepers to Feed the Lepers’ all are met with frenzied response, which only increases for ‘Hash Wednesday’. Here Lee encourages everyone to light up, smoking a joint himself mid set. I’ve seen Trash Talk countless times before - I’ve seen this set before - but it’s so entertaining and never gets boring. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of watching this band kill it.

As a change of pace I head back over to the Desperados stage to see Lightyear. I’m not usually a ska fan but these guys are super good and know what they’re doing. Their set is really fun and unpredictable; from, singer, Chas Palmer-Williams stopping to change in to a horse costume and crowdsurf while the rest of the band play percussion behind him, to him opening and throwing a packet of ham in to the crowd – I’m not sure why. They win over the majority of the crowd and seem to be having a blast.

Following up from Lightyear on the same stage is the mighty Mariachi El Bronx – the latin-inspired alter ego of, Impericon stage headliners, The Bronx. Completely different in tone to their punk rock counterparts, Mariachi El Bronx are so chill and look amazing in their embroidered uniforms. It’s a wonder all eight of them fit on the stage, but they make it their own. They are having loads of fun with it and, despite the drummer’s jacket having been stolen, their good mood is infectious. Arguably the odd band out on a line up full of pop punk, ska and hardcore, they draw a huge crowd and everyone just has the best time. Part way through their set the crowd start a salsa pit, which is exactly what you’re probably imagining. If you ever get the chance to see ‘em, get in on it.

Back over on the Impericon stage, hardcore kings Bane are all good natured intensity and integrity and although it keeps being mentioned that they aren’t familiar with this kind of set up – a high stage and a barricade - but to anyone watching it seems like they are in their element. Having been at this for twenty years their experience shines and they know their songs and their audience and care about both so much. It’s really great to watch and a reminder that, although Deez Nuts are also playing the same line up, hardcore actually is a genre based on instigating positive change and standing up for what you believe in.

The room explodes when Comeback Kid hit the stage, and they are solid. Looking at the room, it’s just a mass of bodies upon bodies. People scramble over one another to get to wherever Andrew Neufeld is on the barrier. They play a career spanning set including ‘Wasted Arrows’, ‘All In A Year’, ‘Partners in Crime’ and bring the set to a crashing end with ‘Wake The Dead’.

Back at the Desperados stage Goldfinger are drawing a massive crowd. Again, not being a huge fan of ska, I wouldn’t usually have made my way back to this stage but Goldfinger are classic. Among favourites such as ‘Superman’ – everyone who ever owned a Tony Hawk video game loses their mind – ‘Open Your Eyes’ and set closer ‘99 Red Balloons’, Goldfinger cover Operation Ivy’s ‘Knowledge’. So, so good.

While Adam Lazzara’s angelic vocals can be heard over at the Main Stage as Taking Back Sunday play, 150-ish people gather at the Fresh Blood stage for Baby Godzilla. The last time I saw Baby Godzilla, they put a bunch of the audience in an industrial-sized bin and caused mayhem at 2000Trees festival last year. Today, while in a room a fraction of the size, it’s just as crazy but maybe a little more dangerous. Possibly the only band on this line up that can match Trash Talk’s level of disorganization and insanity, you never know just where to look while Baby Godzilla play their heavy, discordant punk rock . Guitarist, Johnny Hall is constantly scaling the speaker stacks and Matt Reynolds drags his mic stand through the crowd throwing himself to the floor of the standing area. The pair of them climb on to the bar and thrash around like they have no regard for their own personal safety while the bar staff look on shocked and bewildered. You’re always guaranteed an interesting show with Baby Godzilla.

I’ve been a huge Gallows fan for years, but lately the new stuff has been a little less appealing to me so I was excited to see Gallows with two new albums under their belts and what they would do with them live. Blasting through a set of songs ranging from the very beginning (Orchestra of Wolves), straight through to their newest release (Desolation Sounds), the band crush it. Wade MacNeil snarls the songs out, leading the crowd and everyone loves it. Nothing can compare however, to the response the band receive for playing the old favourites. ‘Belly of a Shark’, ‘Misery’ and ‘Orchestra of Wolves’ – where Wade takes the microphone to the rapturous fans in the pit to close the set – are so ferocious and so furious, still. New songs such as ‘Leviathan Rot’ and ‘Desolation Sounds’ sound huge live, and it’s obvious why this band are still such a live favourite, even after going through so much change. They still rule, and probably always will.

Headlining the Impericon stage tonight is the band everyone has been waiting for. From the second The Bronx hit the stage playing ‘The Unholy Hand’ they have the crowd in the palm of their hands. They’re on fire, running through a blistering greatest hits set containing such bangers as ‘White Guilt’, ‘Rape Zombie’, ‘Knifeman’, ‘Heart Attack American’ and ‘Shitty Future’. They are lunging all over the stage and the crowd, and you’d never guess it was their second set of the day. Matt Caughthran is constantly throwing himself in to circle pits and dragging himself to all corners of the room while the chaos follows. At one point he front flips himself off the stairwell in to the waiting arms of the crowd and doesn’t even miss a beat. So, so cool. They bring Slam Dunk Festival 2015 to an amazing end and not a single person in the room leaves without a huge grin on their face.

I’ve been going to Slam Dunk since 2008. It’s always been something I’ve looked forward to because it leaves me with great memories and this year is no different. Well known for getting some of the best bands around to play and providing a great time for everyone involved, despite the initial issues with the layout, Slam Dunk continue to nail it.

Hey! Like us on Facebook - we only post the good stuff, and sometimes we even give away free vinyl (we know these are dumb, and we're not above buying your love).

▼

Love Is a Mixtape

The Ruckus Presents

Photo Booth

Get Social

Find us on Facebook & Twitter

Subscribe by Email

Your Email Here:

A Note About the Tracks Featured Here

The MP3s on this site are intended for sampling purposes and will only be available for a limited time. If you like the music, please support the artist by purchasing music, t-shirts, concert tickets, posters, beer cozies, or whatever they're selling, and make sure to tell your friends. If you represent an artist or a label and would prefer that we remove an mp3, please email us at hello@whatstheruckus.com.